Tyler Okonma, better known as Tyler, the Creator, an American rapper, R&B performer, and music and fashion aficionado, released his seventh studio album, “CHROMAKOPIA,” on Monday, Oct. 28.
This album marks Tyler’s fourth foray into a more jazzy, R&B-influenced genre of music, marking a departure from his first few albums, such as “Goblin” (2011), “Wolf” (2013) and "Cherry Bomb” (2015). These albums were characterized by an aggressive, reactionary style, with lyrics engaging not only in often socially unacceptable, brash dialogues, but also with a more distinctly abrasive sound, combining elements of experimental hip-hop and subgenre horrorcore, often featuring rhythms distinctive of his rap group, Odd Future.
Okonma slowly began to catch steam, and formed a new subset of hip-hop for himself to explore. His 2017 album, the R&B-influenced “Flower Boy” earned him his first Grammy nomination, and his subsequent effort, "Igor" became his breakout, shattering multiple streaming records and earning him Best Rap Album at the 2019 Grammys. Okonma followed “Igor” up with the equally critically acclaimed album, “Call Me If You Get Lost,” perfecting the funky, jazzy and flavorful sound that he has made his own.
"CHROMAKOPIA" follows an assumed character of Okonma’s, this time entitled Saint Chroma, taking influence from a character in the children’s fantasy novel "The Phantom Tollbooth," Chroma The Great. The adoption of a muse for the album's concept continued a trend for his albums beginning in 2019 with “Igor.” That album's muse was the character archetype of the Igor, often a hunchbacked and grotesque assistant.
Now, Okonma's latest release takes an intense dive into Tyler’s personal life, with lyrics about teenage pregnancy, sexuality, fame and loneliness, all infused throughout the album’s 52-minute runtime.
“CHROMAKOPIA” kicks off with “St. Chroma,” an intro track similar to Igor’s opening track, "IGOR’S THEME," featuring a monologue by Okonma’s mother and vocals from R&B artist Daniel Caesar. A stomping noise permeates the chorus and verses and layered pitched vocals over and under the melody create the beautifully unique neo-soul-hip-hop sound Tyler is known for.
The song’s high energy sets the tone for the rest of the album. “Rah Tah Tah” follows in turn, an abrasive and boastful track incorporating metallic clicks and bells as well as Okonma’s distinctive voice and dynamic inflections. "The biggest out the city after [Kendrick Lamar], that’s a fact now,” he croons.
The album’s lone single, “Noid," follows after. The song details the schizophrenic thoughts of the album’s muse, Saint Chroma, yet again creatively interpolating obscure. This is a staple of Okonma’s discography, sampling Zambian artist Paul Ngozi’s “Nizakupanga Ngzo."
Other highlights of the album include the emotional letter, “Hey Jane,” a narrative that details an unexpected pregnancy the protagonist goes through, portrayed from both the perspective of Okonma and the partner, Jane. This song, in particular, contains some of Tyler’s most compelling imagery and lyricism, embodying fears that a young woman might have about carrying a child: "It's a voice inside me begging me to keep it//I'm thirty-five and my ovaries might not reset//I don't wanna live my whole life feelin' regret//Damn, a feeling you can never understand (I can).” The song’s minimal, stripped-back production emphasizes the lyrics and the raw emotion behind it, ensnaring the listener into the compelling narrative Okonma creates.
The emotional climax of the album occurs within the 11th track, the rivetingly produced and manufactured “Take Your Mask Off.” Okonma’s proficiency in exploring characters comes to a creative peak within this song as he explores the inner workings of the ‘masks’ worn in everyday life, or personas that people put on. He details events from the perspectives of a gangster, a secretly queer preacher and a single mom raising her kids. The album’s emotional rawness also culminates within the lyricism of the song.
Ripping off on tangents left and right, Okonma wraps the album up in a compelling package that thrives on the synthy backdrop and compelling flow that seems to come so easily to the now-veteran of his genre.
“CHROMAKOPIA” ultimately shapes up as one of Okonma’s best projects in years. Acting as a combination of the brash abrasiveness that permeated most of his junior efforts infused with an R&B twist a la “Flower Boy,” it congeals into a beautifully messy project that shows Tyler at his very best. Okonma has a knack for flirting with the line between abrasion and shameless funk, coupling this talent with addicting melodic layering of synths, chords and raw vocal samples.
Garish, unashamed and often brash, Tyler’s unique brand of songwriting is at the centerpiece, but the true compelling traits of the album come through the further exploration of the funky, dramatic, experimental and wholly Tyler, the Creator-esque production and simple music that seems to infest the ear and stay there.
Jacob Hossler '28 is majoring in Biology with a potential English minor. In his free time he enjoys photography, writing, and playing tennis and soccer.
